Do you love the idea of a completely organized homeschool space and schedule? Does the thought of having everything in place with all paperwork in corresponding folders and books all neatly on a shelf sound amazing to you?
If so, please know that I am with you! That sounds like a dream come true. But instead of dreaming about it, I am taking action to get our homeschool space well-organized.
After reading books about decluttering, minimalism and organization, I’ve realized that the desire to have a well-organized space is not a trivial one. There are actually significant benefits to having less stuff and an organized home (and homeschool).
And while I’m not here to tell you that you should strive for perfection, because we all know that kids and learning can be messy and disorganized at times, I am here to tell you that there are advantages to having an organized space that works for you and your family. Maybe you even started out with an organized space……
Photo from 2013 ~ our school room is nice and organized
But things got messy and a bit disorganized……..
A more recent photo of our messy, disorganized school room.
Totally not Pinterest-perfect.
It can be difficult to find the time and energy to organize and then sustain an organized homeschool space. With lessons and activities and meals and cleaning, it doesn’t always feel very doable to squeeze in time to improve the organization of our home and homeschool. We kind of slide by and do the best we can but as time continues on and we accumulate more materials, things become more disorganized.
It takes a lot of time to get things in order. Or so we think. But whether you’ve been homeschooling for a while and need to get some organization back in place or you are just starting and need to get things in order, there are some really great reasons to take the time to declutter and organize your space.
Here are 5 great reasons to organize your homeschool:
1.) Less stress
Did you know that clutter makes you feel mentally and physically fatigued? It causes stress and anxiety. I personally have experienced severe anxiety over a cluttered, messy home so I know it is real! But when you have an uncluttered, organized space you will feel more calm, more peace, more lighthearted and those are all great things that will also lead to more joy in your home and homeschool.
2.) You’ll have a more functional space
This is the completely practical side to having an organized space. When things are in order and each item has a designated home that space becomes more functional. You’ll be optimizing your space and you’ll be able to find things easier. Even if you don’t have everything in perfect order, just getting some organization in place can make a big difference in the amount of usable space you have. If you are tired of moving your piles of homeschool books and papers around to make room (raising hand) then this is a great reason to organize your homeschool!
3.) You can be more efficient and productive
With a more functional space you’ll be able to use your time more efficiently and be more productive in a way that is meaningful to you and your family. Productivity doesn’t have to mean that you or your children are cranking out a ton of work, because that’s not the point, but it does mean using your time well to get tasks accomplished. I know it’s hard for me to concentrate and be productive in a messy, unorganized area and I’m sure it is for my kids too.
4.) You can focus on the big picture and what matters most to you
It’s hard to see the big picture when you are surrounded in a mess. With a clear space comes clarity so that you can stay focused on what matters most to you. With a less-cluttered space your thoughts will be less cluttered, your thinking more clear and you’ll be able to make better decisions. When you get side-tracked by a temper-tantruming toddler, you may just be able to handle the situation more easily.
5.) Influence your children to build good habits
It’s important for our children to build good habits as they grow up. Keeping an organized space means that your kids can learn that every item has a place and and that when they get something out or make a mess they need to clean up. We are setting them up for success when we give them a good orderly clean space to begin with.
Well, I’m convinced. How about you?
If so, go to the next post in the series ~ Declutter Your Homeschool in 5 Simple Steps.
You can organize your homeschool quickly and efficiently!
If you missed the first post in the series, you can read it here.
Such a great reminder! Especially about organization helping with efficiency. This is true for me and the kids as well! They spend too much time looking for a sharpened pencil or lined paper!
Yes, and I definitely need to be reminded too. It’s so easy to let things get disorganized! Thank you so much for taking the time to comment, Erin. I appreciate it! 🙂
I love organizing! We have been working on our garage and I have found tons of books! It thrills me as a teacher to find things that I thought were sold a while ago. 🙂
Finding books you didn’t realize you still had does sound exciting! How fun! Organizing sure has it’s benefits. 🙂